Sunsets are the transition phase from the light of day to the darkness of night, but why are we so mesmerized by the idea that the sun can create unique patterns in the sky every night? According to Thirty Seconds of Science, the colors plastered in our sky stimulate different sets of emotional responses, majorly being positive. 

The warm-toned colors in sunsets are produced by light spectrums: wavelengths that combine to become a range of light that is visible to the human eye. With the different wavelengths come different frequencies, and those frequencies are what cause our sky to be blue and our sunsets to be orange and red. Typically, our minds associate colors with different positive (or negative) emotions; therefore, it is not surprising the colors produced by these random light frequencies and wavelengths in sunsets stimulate different reactions. 

As generations are constantly changing and new technological inventions are created, it can be hard to escape from your screen. However, that does not take away from the role that nature plays in the core culture of the human lifestyle. Nature allows us to experience so many emotions that disconnect us from social media and attune us to the Earth and its beauty.

“Researchers found that connectedness with nature only predicted well-being in people who were attuned to the beauty of nature,” said Jia Wei Zhang, a researcher from the University of California, Berkeley. 

The raw spiritual outlook on the sun brings back the idea of introspection and the construction of self-satisfaction. At times, you may see sunsets being related to balance and meditation and that is due to its sense of calmness that it brings to an ambiance. Your “inner zen” or attunement with the world enriches your natural awareness of the beauty and the appreciation of nature and its little beautiful moments such as sunsets. 

There are so many theories surrounding light and how it produces the colors of sunsets, but the simple answer is simply because sunsets are a part of the package deal that the Earth has to offer. Naturally, we humans find the Earth to produce sights and sounds so brilliantly complex that you can not help but be in awe of what is right in front of you every night.

Next time the sun sets, take a picture and see if you can feel those psychological effects created by the random frequencies of light that produce the cotton candy skies every night. You will not regret the joy it will bring you as the days get shorter and the dark gets longer.